A website for Serious Education, promoting Aloha,
& the most FUN you can have in metal finishing

Finishing.com has been free for 22 years,
but without net neutrality we could soon
cease to exist. Do us a solid, click on
the banner, and contact congress today!
HomeFAQsBooksHelpWantedAdvertiseForum

topic 9558

Dulling Brass

(2001)

I need to replace hinges on an antique hutch and am looking for the product that will age brass. I saw the last question but don't know what the product is that you refer to. The hinges I have purchased are not solid brass but 'brass colored' - so I suspect plated. They were the dullest I could find. I read your guidelines and was hoping you could help since you had already mentioned what looks to be a product. Or maybe there's a home solution such as ammonia.

Thanks,

Betty Baumann- Atlanta, Georgia, USA

(2007)

Need: candle, can of Krylon matte finish spray, can of
Acetone [linked by editor to product info at Amazon]

I tried a few chemical products, none were satisfactory. So here's what I did. (I suggest you try on a piece of cheap brass first.)

I held the piece in the yellow part of the candle flame to deposit an even coating of carbon soot on the piece. How much soot is a factor in how dark the "tinting" will be.

I then sprayed the matte spray over the carbon. Hold the can back about 8-12 inches so you get small droplets. The spray will dissipate the soot and lighten it. Spray on a very light coating. You can do a second coat if you like your results.

The can of Acetone - to remove your mistakes to try again. Good luck.

Dick Bonzagni- Acton, Massachusetts

This public forum has 60,000 threads. If you have a question in mind which seems off topic to this thread, you might prefer to Search the Site

Disclaimer: It's not possible to diagnose a finishing problem or the hazards of an operation via these pages. All information presented is for general reference and does not represent a professional opinion nor the policy of an author's employer. The internet is largely anonymous & unvetted; some names may be fictitious and some recommendations may be deliberately harmful.